Hormonal postcoital contraception with an ethinylestradiol-norgestrel combination and two danazol regimens

The ethinylestradiol-norgestrel combination (EE-NG) for postcoital contraception, as described by Yuzpe, has been shown to be an effective method but with frequent side effects. To overcome the problem of adverse effects a new approach using danazol was proposed, but the efficacy and acceptability of this treatment have not yet been tested in large studies. In a 5-year period at the AIECS Family Planning Centre in Milan we treated 2448 women requesting postcoital contraception using Yuzpe's regimen and two danazol regimens (800 mg/1200 mg). The patients' acceptability for danazol treatment was higher than for Yuzpe's regimen due to fewer, milder and shorter side effects. Nine pregnancies occurred in the EE-NG group (2.21%), 17 in the 800 mg group (1.71%) and 6 in the 1200 mg group (0.82%). Our study shows a statistically significant efficacy against expected pregnancy rates both with Yuzpe's regimen and with danazol. The 1200 mg danazol treatment seems to be more effective and can be considered a valid alternative to the EE-NG combination for hormonal postcoital contraception.